Old Version Shatter Pieces

Chapter 16: Wisdom

Carter

I was sitting on the couch downstairs waiting for my grandmother to call me up to carry Elinn back down. I wasn't sure what the situation between my mate and my grandma was, but it was definitely making Elinn more comfortable. I supposed that it was a good thing, but I wished I was the one she was willing to open up to.

The doorbell rang and I wondered who could possibly be here. As I opened the door I was relieved to see that it was just Luke. He hurried in so that he was out of the rain.

"I brought the blanket like you told me to. I wasn't sure what color she liked so I just got her a blue one. It's shown to help people relax more and that is definitely something Elinn could use." I shook my head and chuckled at his statement knowing it was true.

"Speaking of Elinn, where is my dear little patient. I'm concerned about how she may have aggravated her injuries while she was...out." Luke said searching for the right word to describe Elinn's attempt at escape. I wasn't completely sure why Elinn had felt the need to get away.

"Carter, we are ready for you up here if you aren't busy." My grandmother's voice caused both me and Luke to turn and look at her from her position on the top of the stairs. I instructed Luke to wait for us in the living room and head up the stairs. Grandma greeted me with a smile and hug when I reached her.

"Carter I've been meaning to talk to you. I figured we should have a serious conversation before you go and see your mate." She smiled knowingly at me and pulled me into my room. I wanted to run to the room across from me where I knew my mate was resting.

"Carter I need you to focus on what I'm going to tell you do you think you can manage that?" I shoved down my emotions and turned back to my grandmother. I turned all of my focus on what she was saying.

"That girl in the other room, she is in need of a great deal of help. Not only physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. It's clear that she has been through a great deal of trauma in her life. I'm going to tell you about something few people know about." The emotion I could see in my grandmother's eyes made me nervous. What was about to happen?

"When I was about your age I met my mate, your grandfather. I saw him in the supermarket one day and things just clicked. He insisted we be married that same day so I agreed and we went straight to the chapel. He seemed so nice and so kind, but I was so wrong.

That night he drove me back to my house and he wasn't the same man I had met that morning. He was harder, almost cruel to me. I didn't think much of it at first thinking that it was probably just stress or something. The next day when I was doing the dishes I dropped a glass and it shattered. That...man came in and smacked me for my incompetence." I was shocked at her words. This didn't sound like the man I knew as my grandfather. He was loving and gentle how could they be the same person.

"For five years I let that man push me around. He would hit me at least once a day and insult me far more than that. I stayed with him and let him have his way. I never let him touch our children though,  that was my line. So when I came home and found your father with a bruise on his cheek I decided it was time to leave.

That night I packed some bags and tried to get your father and his brothers out of the house. When I got to the car I buckled everyone in, and when I turned around I discovered he had followed me outside. It was quite obvious what was going on and he wasn't happy.

He attacked me, and I wasn't strong enough to fight him off. I thought I was going to die, but someone intervened and fought him off. The stranger threw me in the car and drove me to the hospital. I was in surgery for three hours before I was deemed stable.

When I finally looked into the eyes of the man who had saved my life I realized that he was my second chance mate. You see he had been forced to kill my first mate in order to save me. I dated the man you know was your grandfather for about four months before we got married." I let out a sigh of relief when I realized that my grandfather was a good man. I hadn't wanted to picture him as this man who had caused my grandma so much pain.

"Carter I have been where your Elinn is right now. She feels like she is still trapped in that old house, in that old world. She doesn't realize the rules here aren't the same as those she has been around for so long. She won't trust easily, all she has known is pain and despair for the past twelve years. She has suffered unimaginable pain and I don't know what is going to happen to her. All I know is this can be a very fragile situation.

You are going to have to be very patient about this whole situation. Things aren't going to be easy, that is the absolute truth, the girl in the other room needs you. You are going to be what saves her from this darkness inside her. Don't let her down," My grandmother cups my face with her hands. I laid my hands on top of hers and nodded my understanding.

"I promise that I will take good care of her. I won't let anyone harm her, she is already my everything. I just want her to get to know me. I understand that it may be complicated, but I'm willing to try if she is." I stood and started toward the door so I could go and see my mate.

"Carter...you're going to need to keep your emotions in check. This isn't going to pretty, but she will need her mates touch. Please just, if you're going to explode do it somewhere she won't be able to see." Those words drove me even quicker to make sure that my mate was okay.

I slowly made my way into her room and saw her sitting on the bed. She was wearing the clothes I had set out for her. A pair of black basketball shorts and a blue shirt that was too small for me now. Though Elinn looked as though she was drowning in the clothes.

"Tomorrow I'll have someone go out and buy you some clothes that will actually fit you. Then maybe you can feel a little bit more comfortable." Elinn looked up suddenly as if she hadn't realised I was there. She looked down at the clothes in confusion and then back up to me.

"I am not allowed new clothes, they are meant for people who matter. I do not matter so I don't get new clothes," She seemed so confident in her answer. It broke my heart that she thought that lowly of herself.

"Well you aren't in that old place, you're here now and I say you will have new clothes. Now come on I'll carry you down stairs so Luke can check you out. He did bring a blanket just like he promised, you can have it as soon as we get downstairs." I told her as I scooped her into my arms. She clutched at my shirt as I started down the stairs and I wanted so badly to kiss her, but I resisted the urge.

"Ahh, there is my favorite patient! Look I brought you a great new blanket that will keep you nice and warm." Luke said when he spotted us. He held up the blanket so that Elinn could see it. I entered the living room and set her down on the couch.

Luke stretched out his arm so that Elinn could take the blanket. She looked at the blanket then at Luke and I then back to the blanket. I could see that she wasn't sure what was going on, but I hoped she would take the blanket considering how much she was shivering. Slowly she reached out and took the blanket from Luke.

She set it on her lap and just stared at it for a second. She ran her fingertips along the edge of the soft fabric. I watched as she grabbed the fabric and rubbed it against her face and she sighed. I slowly lowered myself so I was sitting next to her and she went ridgid. I reached for the blanket and she drew it closer to her chest.

"I'm not going to take it I'm just going to wrap it around you so you can get warm. I promise that I will give it right back to you." I reassured her as I took it out of her hands. I tucked the warm blanket around her shoulders and pulled it so it enveloped her. She looked up at me and gave me a small smile. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I would give everything I had to keep it on her face. I smiled back down at her and I knew everything would be alright.

AN: Thank you all so much for continuing to read this book. You have no idea how much it means to me! And hey we just passed 100 votes, that amazing! I am happy to see all your comments about how you're liking the book. Let me know what you guys liked or what didn't I love hearing your feedback. I am so proud of what I've been able to accomplish so far and it makes me happy to see how far it's come. So once again thank you for everything. Until next time, bye bye!